Craig Jamieson Mack was an American rapper and record producer. He helped build the foundation for Bad Boy Records, one of hip hop’s most influential labels. He began rapping as a teenager under the name MC EZ and released one single in 1988, "Just Rhymin'" backed with “Get Retarded,” as part of MC EZ & Troup. Mack then became friends with the hip hop duo EPMD and eventually went on tour with them, doing jobs as a roadie. He helped DJ Scratch assemble and disassemble his turntables at shows. After a few years without forward movement in his recording career, Mack took advantage of an opportunity to rap for Sean Combs, and secured a record deal with Combs’s label, Bad Boy. Mack is best known for his 1994 hit, "Flava in Ya Ear".
Career
His first single "Get Retarded/Just Rhymin'" was released under the name MC EZ in 1988 on Fresh Records. Mack is best known for his 1994 hit single "Flava In Ya Ear", which was released under his real name. The remix of the single was the breakout appearance of The Notorious B.I.G., as well as one of the first solo appearances by Busta Rhymes. The success of The Notorious B.I.G.'s debut album, Ready to Die, overshadowed Mack's early success on the Bad Boy label. Although Sean Combs mentioned in a 1994 interview on MTV's Yo! MTV Raps that he was working with Mack on his second album, which was to be released sometime in January the following year, this proved to not be the case. Present at that interview, Mack himself appeared puzzled by the statement. Mack did release a second album in 1997, but none of the singles charted and Mack was unable to repeat his success.
Death
Mack died on March 12, 2018 from heart failure at a hospital near his home at Walterboro, South Carolina. According to DJ Scratch, he was ill for some time before his death and was prepared for a grim outcome. Mack was apparently suffering from heart failure, having developed shortness of breath from around six months before his death when, according to rapper Erick Sermon, he called his friends to bid farewell. Following Mack's death, Sermon wrote on Twitter that he was finishing work on Craig Mack's new album. Mack is survived by his wife and two adult children.
